This is the follow up to "Goldilocks and the Three Vampires", previously entitled "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?" but the story metamorphosized into something else. Note 'Iana is pronounced Yana. I finally decided what was going to happen about half way through this. Main characters are Louis, Lestat and Armand and it comes between The Tale of the Body Thief and Memnoch the Devil.

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Lestat's Journal...

15th July

It has been a week or so since I have written anything so I suppose I ought to do a quick recap of events so you don't get confused my hypothetical reader. Shortly after I last wrote we found a mortal intruder in our house. An eighteen year old girl called Oriana, sleeping in my coffin no less. I took a shine to her almost instantly and I think Louis did as well. David was not so easily swayed but he has more or less come around, to her staying with us that is. Not that he matters much at the moment as he left for England two days ago, on business. Much as I adore Oriana I must admit that she frightens me a little. A hard and strange admission for the all- powerful vampire Lestat. She seems to have such power over me and over Louis too, though Lord knows he would never admit it. He refuses to be at all intimate with her since the first night. I think he is embar- rased at his desire for a human that he half thinks of as a child, as she does look very young. That and he always has been such a prude. At least we don't argue as much as we used to, he seems to be making a concerted effort not to disagree with me. It is rather sweet. Oriana waits until he is already in his death sleep and then comes through to sleep with us. She loves to curl naked around him just so she can see his face when he wakes up. At first he got angry but now he simply tolerates her. I have no such problems with my sexuality, Oriana and I make love often. Her blood is like none I have ever tasted and leaves me dizzy as if slightly drunk. I have resolved to never give her more than a taste of my blood, I have no wish to make her one of us. Although a normal mortal could be forgiven for already thinking her one of us. Her skin is as pale and she sleeps through the day with us mostly. Also she drinks blood! She hunts with me often and drinks the remains from the bodies I have fed on. I have not told Louis or David this, it is our secret, they would NOT approve. I'm not sure I approve, it is rather eerie to see. She does however eat normal food as well and I have been learning to cook for her. Things have gone fairly well so far but I worry that it will break down. Louis has been so agreeable lately, it can't last.
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Louis' journal...

15th July

I am... not angry. Annoyed, yes. Tired, perhaps. My decision not to argue as much with Lestat is wearing very thin. He seems to use it to control me and I feel I am losing my individuality. He is so over-powering, perhaps it is necessary for us to fight to maintain our distance from one another. Whatever is true I can no longer sustain this facade of agreement. Which leads me to another facade which is wearing thin. Oriana. She is infuriating, manipulative and has no respect for privacy. Lestat seems to have given her free reign and I am tired of the liberties she continually takes. This morning she was not only lying naked beside me when I awoke but had removed my pyjamas, that I am forced to wear because of her presence, as I slept. I have put up with her behaviours this long because Lestat is so fond of her and also because she can be surprisingly agreeable at times. She can be kind, gentle, understanding and thoughtful and when she is we are the best of friends. But Lestats' influence on her makes these times fewer and fewer. It is a great pity.
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Oriana slept restlessly that day. Louis and Lestat had fought before sun-rise and Louis had gone to sleep in his own room casting her a cold glance as he went to bed. Feeling rather insecure she had worn her silk pyjamas to sleep in, they made her feel... better. She was beginning to regret her actions with Louis, it was so easy to tease him and disregard his wishes when Lestat was around. But when Lestat was out or asleep she always regretted it. Louis was so sweet and so vulnerable to emotional torment, but last night he had snapped. Eventually she got up and wandered through the house finally stopping at Louis door. She tiptoed inside and sat on the edge of his bed. The room was pitch black and she reached out a hand to find him, laying it on his cool cheek.

"I'm sorry Louis," she whispered.

Perhaps it was time to leave, Lestat would surely give her the money to return home. But the thought of returning to that empty life, to that empty desire, repulsed her although she missed her half brothers desperately. She had thought several times of phoning her fathers house to say she was alright but knew it would cause more problems than it would solve. A clean break was the only way to do it. And if she didn't stay here where would she go? But how could she stay here becoming the stranger she was when she was with Lestat? When she was with him she was strong and dangerous despite her mortal body but she was also cold and empty, everything became so physical with no emotion. Alive on the out- side but dead inside and she had no idea why. She went outside and sat on the steps watching the sun drift towards the horizon. It warmed her heart, she had seen too little of the sun lately. Perhaps that was the problem, she spent too much time in darkness playing vampire with Lestat. She was only human, her eyes couldn't see the colours of the night, her body couldn't taste the true pleasure of the blood. She was no vampire. Trying to be one was what was eating away at her soul and leaving her empty inside. It was time to enjoy being human again, and with the help of Lestats money that should be easier than back in Scotland.

Feeling somewhat more light hearted she skipped back into the house and on to the kitchen. It was time to make pancakes! Later sitting at the kitchen table stuffing her face she heard Lestat leave to hunt, not long after Louis passed the kitchen door on his way to the living room. She quickly washed her sticky hands and face and went through after him. He was relaxing in a chair reading a book, he didn't look up as she came in. She perched on the sofa.

"Louis?"

He didn't answer.

"Louis I'm sorry, it won't happen again. I promise."

He looked up at her.

"Please Louis."

He put his book aside. "You will not touch me when I am asleep and unable to respond?"

"No, never again. I promise Louis. I have been behaving so badly towards you, please say you forgive me."

He smiled his small smile and reached out his hand to her, "Of course I do 'Iana." He allowed her to hug him.

"I'm so glad Louis. Everything will be different from now on."

"It certainly will, for I am here to brighten your nights," said a voice from behind her. She spun around to see a boy standing in the door way. He had curly auburn hair and black eyes that stood out against his ivory skin. He wore a dark red suit that matched his hair. "It has been so long since I saw you all that I thought I must come and visit. Especially as I heard Lestat was spending all his time with a mortal he had taken in. But I see you are not so neglected Louis." He turned to Oriana, "I am most delighted to meet you child."

She allowed him to kiss her hand. "Likewise I am sure Armand. Lestat is not here at the moment and I believe Louis still needs to hunt, but perhaps I can keep you amused until they return." She looked at Louis. "You do still have to hunt don't you?"

"Well... yes I..." Louis stammered, unsure that leaving her with Armand was wise.

"Go ahead," Armand told him. "I won't harm her. Or perhaps you are worried that she might harm me?"

Louis laughed nervously, "No, of course not. I... shall not be long." He left quickly.

Oriana came towards him, "So you are the terrible vampire Armand. You don't look so frightening to me." They circled each other.

"And you are the mortal who has Lestat hypnotised, as rumours would have me believe. You don't look so hypnotic to me. Just a little child run away from home. What are you doing here?"

"Why don't you ask Lestat that? Not that he'd be able to give you an answer, he knows even less than everyone else when it comes to the reasons for his own actions." She smiled, "But I think that's quite enough posturing for today. I'm in no mood for this vampire version of small talk, do none of you get bored by it?"

Armand smiled too, "Daniel has no mind for it, it is not his 'style'. I think it comes from being a vampire too long, you become pretentiously mysterious without even trying. Myself, with this youthful face I need all the pretention I can muster. No one takes me seriously otherwise."

"Well I am just a little mortal and I promise to take anyone who can kill me with a flick of their wrist fairly seriously, well... most of the time, probably. In fact strike that all together, I promise to take none of you seriously no matter how old or young you look or in fact are and regardless of how easily you can kill me. So now, tell me why _you_ are here."

Armand shrugged, "Curiosity, boredom... loneliness. Daniel is off again and I am in no mood to stay at home. So I came to visit my dear friends Louis and Lestat." He sat down on the sofa. "So how shall you entertain me while we await them?" he asked with a seductive look.

Oriana smiled at him, "Much as the thought tempts me, I think not. Perhaps we could all four of us go out when they return."

"Very well, in that case I shall amuse myself by getting you ready. I think we shall go to the ballet, there is a new production on. A collection of Fairy Tales. In fact I have a wonderful idea. I am already all in red, we shall dress you in purest white. With your fair hair and complexion we shall be Snow White and Rose Red, I believe that is one of the tales they are interpreting. Come along." He whisked her off to the closet of new clothes Lestat had bought her and found a long white silk dress. Light as the breeze it clung to her small breasts and enfolded her legs in the crinkled skirt. He sat her down and insisted on doing her make-up. Pale pinks on lips and cheeks and even on the eyes with a touch of brown to shadow. He was just finishing up when Lestat and Louis returned together, by the sound of things they had made up again.

"Armand? 'Iana?" Louis called.

"Up here Louis," she answered. Armand took her hand and brought her to stand side by side with him facing the doorway.

"Well," drawled Lestat. "Did you enjoy playing make-up Armand?"

Oriana stepped forward before the two of them could start, "Hold it right there. You can argue later, just now we are all going out to the ballet. So go get ready."

Lestat looked about to disagree but Louis took his hand, "Please Lestat. Don't."

"Oh... alright then." The two of them went to change.

Armand laughed, "They really are so sweet aren't they?"

"Yes," she replied. "And if you make any trouble between them you'll regret it."

"Why my dear Snow White, is that a threat?"

She paused a moment then decided what the hell, "Yes, it is."

Armand laughed again and then pulled her into a kiss she was unable to break free from. When he finally released her she fell back against the wall, her hand fluttering to her throat as she tried to catch her breath. "Don't _ever_ do that again without my permission!" she spat at him when she was recovered. His response was a laugh. "Oh... bugger!" she swore knowing her protestations were rather pointless when he could read her mind and know how much he had affected her. He laughed louder and she kicked him in the shin and swept down the stairs.

They went dancing after the ballet. A sip of Lestat's blood reviving her flagging energy after being up much of that day. When they returned to the house everyone was in high spirits and there had been, surprisingly, no arguments between anyone. Louis and Lestat retired to Lestat's room immediately on returning to the house leaving Armand, looking rather left out, staring after them. Illyana sighed and led him through to David's room, planning to spend the day in Louis empty room, but Armand had other ideas. Tugging her off her feet as she made to leave and pinning her to the bed.

"Surely you're not going to leave me here all alone, that's hardly polite. I might get lonely."

"Armand..." but she stopped there. She didn't really have any good objections. She did find him attractive, she did want him. But she still felt wrong here. Not just here with Armand but here with all of them. It was something deep-seated that just wasn't right. But she could worry about that after Armand had fallen asleep, just now she would ignore it and take what he was so insistantly offering. It was hard to ignore a vampire that was gradually stripping you of your clothes and occasionally pausing to taste blood here and there and, oh yes, over there.

Despite her intentions she fell asleep next to Armand when the sun rose, protected from its warm destroying light by heavy shutters and thick velvet curtains. Barely had she closed her eyes it seemed than she was transported to another place, so vivid she didn't for a moment think it a dream. Couldn't bear it to be a dream.

He was driving, she in the passenger seat. Outside was a glorious spring day in Scotland. Occasional golden daffodils sang out against the grassy banks along the motorway. The window was slightly open and his short dark blonde hair flickered in the wind. She stared at him, you couldn't describe him, not really. Sure you could say he had blue eyes, that he had the most adoreable dimple on his left cheek when he turned to smile at her, that he was beautiful. But it was just words. The way he looked had so much more to do with feelings, her feelings, than with words. There was a song playing on the cassette player, what was it? It was important, what were the words?

"I look at you and see, my life that might have been.
You're face just ghostly in the smoke.
They're setting fire to the cornfields,
As you're taking me home."

It wasn't till then she noticed he was smoking. The smoke whispered across his face before disappearing out the window. Curling blue around his features, obscuring them.

"The smell of burning fields,
Will now mean you until.
And this is where I want to be.
This is what I need.
But I know that this will never be mine.

Ooh the thrill and the hurting.
I know that this will never be mine."

But that wasn't right! That hadn't been playing in the car that day.

"I want you as the dream, not the reality.
That closing goodbye kiss could fool me.
But looking back over my shoulder,
That you're happy without me.

But this is where I want to be.
This is what I need.
But I know that this will never be mine.
Ooh the thrill and the hurting.
Will never be mine...."

"No!" He reached out to take her hand and she felt the cold of his wedding ring against her skin. So cold it burnt her skin. "No!!"

"I love my wife," he said.

"No! It's not fair!!"

They were in front of her house and the car door was open although she hadn't touched it. "I won't forget this," he said.

"No!!!"

Suddenly it was all gone. She was in pitch darkness. Complete blackness. Utter darkness. She broke down in tears.

Words intruded in her mind, <'Iana! What is it? What is wrong?>

At the same time two naked worried vampires burst into the room. Lestat leapt on Armand pinning him to the bed. "What have you _done_ to her?"

Armand struggled to free himself. "Nothing you fool! I have done nothing! She has had a dream, that is all. Now let _go_ of me!!"

Lestat reluctantly released Armand and turned to Louis who was trying to coax Oriana out from the ball she had made of the sheets. He finally managed to get a few thoughts out of her.

-I don't know what to do! Why won't he let me be? Why can't I let him go? I wish I'd never met him. I wish he didn't exist.-

Lestat crouched down beside her. "Who 'Iana? Who has done this to you?" In reply he got an image of a man. Handsome certainly but no patch on himself, but then what mortal could be. "Don't worry. I'll fix things, you'll see. Everything will be alright ma cherie."

She sat up and looked at him confusedly a moment then suddenly realised what he meant. "No!" She grabbed him as if she could stop him flying away. "You mustn't hurt him! Promise me!!" She looked terrified.

"But you said it yourself dearest ... 'I wish he didn't exist'. A wish very easily granted."

"No! I meant that I wished that he had never existed for me to meet, not that he were dead. God, never that. Promise!"

"Alright, alright. I promise. I won't touch a hair on his head."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "And you won't talk to him either, you won't interfere in any way?"

Lestat scowled, "Why shouldn't I? Who are you to say who I can or can't talk to?"

She fixed him with a hard stare.

"Oh, alright!" he swept out the room in annoyance.

Oriana sat back down on the bed heavily. "I'm just going to go back to bed for a while." She told them pulling the sheets over her. Louis glanced at Armand, who picked up his clothes and left, and then climbed in next to Oriana wrapping his arms around her silently. For over an hour she lay silently in his embrace, occasionally tears trickled down far enough to touch his arm. Then she spoke softly, almost as if to herself, "Will you take me Louis, drink my life?"

He was silent for several moments, thinking who knows what, before he answered just as softly, "No."

They said nothing else and remained as they were until Lestat came in from feeding and took Louis place. Not long after that she fell asleep.

It was daytime when she woke again. Not that she would have known in the pitch darkness of the room. She was alone. She felt... utterly crap. Having slept just about twenty four hours on the trot her mind felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool and her limbs were made of lead. She dragged herself out of the bed and threw open the curtains. As light flooded the room her head swam and she nearly fell over, she clutched the window ledge until her vision cleared. She shook her head and went to the bathroom to stand under cool water until she was more sure she was really awake. Then she dressed and went out into the garden bare-footed. The warm breeze blew the last of the cobwebs out of her head and the sun shine was like a warm embrace. His warm embrace. She knew then what she had to do, where she wanted to be. Back home, only a few miles away from his house. Knowing that he was there, not too far away. Able to look out the train window and see his workplace, able to go to a rehearsal and know that there was always a chance that he might be there. Only a heart beat away from him instead of half a world. Where she had photos and videos of old shows he was in and that single letter. Where he was a part of her life however small. She needed to know he was near. She needed to go home. She couldn't finish that part of her life until she dealt with her feelings for him one way or another.

She spent the day deciding what to take back with her and packing it. Deciding wether to take the photos she had of herself with Lestat, Louis and David and the film from the night out at the ballet, still to be developed. She decided she would. Looking out the passport she'd had with her the day she appeared here. Working out what she would say to them when they woke up. Booking the flight home. Eventually she worked up the courage and phoned her father, she couldn't cope with her mother just yet. She had only been away a week and she had left a note to say she was going away for a while. They had no way of knowing she had been in America, she told her Dad she'd been in London staying with a friend she'd met on the 'Net.

She gathered them in the lounge when they woke and told them she was going back to Scotland. Her flight was just after midnight. Strangely enough it was Armand that seemed the most affected by her announcement. They all accompanied her to the airport. At the departure gate she felt tears sting her eyes.

"You will stay in touch?" Louis asked.

"Of course I will. I'll write you all, e-mail and snail mail."

"And if you need us you'll call," insisted Lestat. "Yes." She hugged them both and then came to Armand. In his eyes was the glimmer of blood tears, he said nothing. "Armand? What's wrong?"

"It is nothing Cara. Take care of yourself." He smiled and kissed her lightly. In the bright artificial light of the airport he looked like the embodiment of death he was. People avoided them and stared at them at the same time. Lestat glared back.

Tears choked the back of her throat. "Goodbye." She fled to the plane. But even then through the small window she could see them watching, waiting for her to take off. They watched one another until she could no longer see the airport at all and then she closed her eyes and let herself doze until New Orleans seemed like a dream.

The End ...

... well it would be if I didn't have another part planned.